Gummy Smile

A ‘gummy smile’ is when too much of the gingival (gum) tissue shows when you smile. Sometimes, although the teeth may be the correct length, they can appear short as there is excessive gum tissue growing down the tooth, causing a low and uneven gum-line which results in a 'gummy' smile.

Although this is not harmful and is actually quite common, patients often feel their appearance is not cosmetically pleasing and it can be embarrassing and knock their confidence.

Why Do I Have a Gummy Smile

There are many reasons why patients may have a gummy smile

• Short upper lip – If you were born with a shorter upper lip it can expose more of the gum
• Child development – During early development there can be signs that a gummy smile may be developing, of which, braces could be used to potentially stop this from happening
• Abnormal erupting teeth – Teeth can sometimes erupt abnormally which can cause more of a gummy smile

How Do You Treat A Gummy Smile?

There are several solutions available to successfully treat a gummy smile:

• Gum Contouring – We use gum contouring techniques to take away your excess gum and improve the look of any uneven gum lines or gummy smiles. It really depends on how much excess gum shows as to which type of treatment is most suitable for you.
• Orthodontics (braces) – This treatment is particularly effective for younger patients in order to help prevent gummy smiles.
• Anti-ageing treatment – We can use muscle relaxing therapy to the muscles in the lip area, causing it to drop and mask the excess gum tissue.